The present invention relates to shooting rests for firearms, especially handguns.
Since the development of firearms, numerous shooting rests have been devised to aid accuracy, and to be useful, any shooting rest must provide support for the firearm itself and serve to steady the shooter also. As firearms have become more efficient, aided with high magnification optical sights, precision shooting at long range has become the norm. This mandates that a shooting rest be used to achieve a measure of acceptable accuracy. This requirement becomes most evident when a handgun is used for long range shooting.
Generally, shooting rests comprise monopods, bipods, and tripods, rests designed for bench shooting; and rests which attach to the forearm of the gull. The majority of shooting rests, however, whether designed for field or bench use, are intended for rifles. For field or hunting applications, these shooting rests generally take the form of a bipod attaching directly to the rifle itself, or are designed to be carried as a separate component in the form of a mono-pod, bipod, or tripod device of different variations. Whether designed to be used in the prone, sitting, kneeling, or standing positions, these shooting rests are generally effective because a rifle while rested at the forearm (under the barrel) is also supported by the shooter""s body, anchored at the shoulder, resulting in both the rifle and shooter being supported fore and aft. Because a rifle has a shoulder stock, this kind of shooting rest works well with any long-arm.
Handguns have a different shape and thus present a different problem. For using handguns in the field or when hunting, prior art shooting rests are not effective for accurate, long-range shooting. Unlike rifles, handguns are fired at arm""s length, without the benefit of a shoulder stock. A shooting rest that rests only under the forearm or barrel leaves unsupported the handgrip, and more importantly the shooter""s wrists and arms. Conversely, if a shooting rest supports the butt of the handgrip, the front of the handgun is left unsupported. Skilled shooters acknowledge that except for shooting at close range with iron or open sights, long range accuracy can be achieved only when the handgun is supported both fore and aft, and only when solid support is provided for the weight of the shooter""s wrists and arms.
Handguns for long range, precision shooting generally are fitted or equipped with optical (telescopic) sights, and are represented by single shot and bolt action pistols or large frame revolvers. The combined handgun with sight is heavy and long, precluding offhand shooting. These handguns can be used at target shooting ranges, where a substantial bench rest can be configured to support the fore and aft portions of the weapon. However, bench rests are unsuitable for or inapplicable to field and hunting applications.
Monopod gun supports, represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,740,625 or 276,668, offer no support for both fore and aft portions of a handgun. They are the least steady type of rest, even for rifle use, and almost must be pushed into the ground to be steady. They offer no adjustment provisions beyond height. They are, however, portable and simple.
Bipod gun supports, represented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,932 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,437, are still portable and steadier than monopod gun supports, but they still are inadequate for steady handgun shooting, notwithstanding their assertions to the contrary, due to their lack of the prescribed support. They are good for rifles, but not handguns.
Tripod gun supports such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,899 are big, bulky, and not highly portable. They are designed for camera use and are too complex for field use.
Bench rests are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,628,135, 4,438,581, and 5,600,913. They offer handguns support at both fore and aft. They are not designed for field use, due to their weight and bulk, or their rudimentary design. Such rests are clearly for bench use.
Another rest is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,757. It is not clear whether this is a bench rest, a monopod, or intended for hunting. Contrary to its assertions, it is not lightweight. Moreover, it is impractical to anchor the rest into the ground. Also, the center of gravity is incorrect, and the device is not portable.
Yet another gunrest style is represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,029,407 and 4,625,620. The Kirkpatrick design folds into the fore end of the gun(rest). This style is advantageous for supporting a rifle, but it fails to support both the fore and aft portions of a handgun simultaneously. This design requires attachment to the firearm itself, thus making a handgun very cumbersome. Also, this design does not adapt to all handguns. It requires support under the shooter""s hands when used in a prone shooting position, and it does not suffice from the sitting position, which is the more useful position in the field.
Hilbelink U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,624 is for a handgun rest and offers a structure beneath fore and aft portions of the pistol. However, the shelf thereof (referred to by numeral 27) is not directly supported. Rather, the support is fashioned beneath the forearm or barrel, leaving the hands and arms of the shooter inadequately supported and apparently unstable. The point of support is offset from the weight of the shooter""s hands and the majority of the weight of the gun. Moreover, the gunrest shown and described there would appear to need to be pushed into the ground, which is a disadvantage.
Each of the prior art designs, whether an attached bipod or separate device, is compromised in one or more ways. Therefore, the present invention seeks to provide a handgun shooting rest that meets all or several of these several criteria: it is suitable for field use, it offers fore and aft support for both hands and the pistol forearm or barrel, it allows the majority of the weight of the handgun and the weight of the shooter""s hands and wrists to be disposed directly above the support; it is compact and easily carried; it is adaptable to both prone and sitting positions due to varying terrain conditions; it is capable of rapid deployment; and it offers a mechanism accommodating at least one but preferably both of swivel and canting movement, i.e. rotation in two orthogonal dimensions, for target acquisition and adjustment to uneven ground.
A handgun rest suitable for field use includes a shooting platform on which the shooter rests the butt of the handgun grip and both hands. An extension member or assembly projects forward from the platform, preferably angling upwards to provide both the required amount of upward rise and forward extension to come under, and provide the rest for, a forward portion of the gun, e.g. its forearm or barrel. A leg assembly is coupled beneath the platform. Thus the weight of the handgun is supported fore and aft.
Preferably the leg assembly permits two or more degrees of movement of the platform.